


Our Own Way

by Calesvol



Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Other, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 12:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16326701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calesvol/pseuds/Calesvol
Summary: He didn't know that Riot was Venom's offspring. Now he does, and it hurts, but he wants things to be different for them both.





	Our Own Way

Warning(s): G, grief/mourning

* * *

It was becoming a ritual for them. Every Friday night, after a long day with his nose to the keyboard or out in the streets conducting his own investigations, it was a time for them to unwind and mindlessly browse the internet or watch dumb B-movies together. People didn’t give Venom enough credit where it was due; the symbiote bore a cunning intelligence, learning more and more each day with Eddie providing him a plethora of intellectual feasts it grazed through with aplomb. In these times, they often watched documentaries: history, science, philosophy—or just mindlessly binged on How It’s Made. Something they could do in the dark, be in the dark with one another.

To not have to worry about anything for once.

That night, after settling down with some snacks (in this case, a trail mix of nuts and chocolate with plenty of phenylethylamine to spare), YouTube was their poison of choice that evening. With a good adblocker and the cheapest entertainment he could find, they were set to just lapse into a comfortable silence together.

 **“This should be good,”** Venom purred softly, coiled over Eddie’s shoulders like a boa.

“It’d better be, else I’m choosin’ what we watch next time, Ven,” Eddie teased with a playful nudge of his cheek, Venom reacting with an even gentler prod of its glossy black snout that earned a soft chuckle.

Though, that annoying yellow bar line appeared on screen, an ad for some nonsense Youtuber’s content that looked like something you’d watch drunk at 3 AM. Squeezing slime through their fingers, mashing it—who the hell else would watch that kind of crap? Easily distracted toddlers, maybe, else he couldn’t think of another demographic.

Yet, Venom’s pearly gaze was completely transfixed upon it, earning a bemused expression from Eddie as the content reflected murkily in its eyes. When he wondered what drew its fixation so intensely, he glanced back at the ad. It was a light sable coloration, a little glossy, but nothing special— God, who the hell decided these things were good ideas, again?

“Hey, Ven, you alright?” Eddie ventured when it didn’t move, instead feeling a fearful trembling. His brows furrowed in bemusement, straightening as the symbiote’s distress became more palpable. “Hey, hey, love—what’s up with you? It’s jus’ some goo. Nothin’ worth gettin’ upset over.”

 **“Not that. Riot.”** …Riot? **“Riot was our offspring; Riot came from us. We’re Riot’s parent,”** came the clipped explanation as Venom shuddered weakly, even its luster seeming to fade to a shade not quite as bright. **“Riot perished in that explosion.”**

“…Oh,” was all Eddie could voice as the sadness rode over him in waves, a sympathetic response crashing over him through their bond. Though he’d never had actual children of his own, he knew loss. He knew it so well it had slept with him every night beneath the sheets and stayed there. But, what else didn’t he know about his beloved’s history? There seemed to be more and more each day while Venom knew almost everything about him. “…I’m real sorry, love. I’m sorry y’had t’go through all that.”

It was genuine, and heartfelt. While the ad’s duration eventually expired, he gently maneuvered the symbiote into his arms, feeling it coil tenebrous appendages where it could and cling to him as though for dear life. Only the dull throbs of a shared heartbeat pulsed in the silence, the video temporarily paused as the grief welled in him, too. A tear pricked the corner of his eyes, Venom nestling closer to his chest while the embrace engulfed it whole. He’d do anything to protect his love.

 **“…There were others,”** Venom suddenly ventured, its opaque eyes cracking open. Eddie stroked a hand along its back, nuzzling into his neck and slotting itself there while he remained protective. **“Several others, in fact, Eddie. I never thought they were bad. Always did what we were made to do. Until—until I met you. Until we knew each other did I understand. What it was like to be good. To save the world, not end it.”**

He listened on, quietly, staring ahead into the blank darkness. “What happened to ‘em, love?” He didn’t know what else to say. It felt useless, that this was all he was really capable of doing, but what could be done? He was out his depth as of yet.

Venom craned upwards and his head bowed, touching their foreheads together. Its eyes hooded contentedly, respiration quiet and sound between them. Always in synchronicity. **“We do not know. They were born, then raised, then found new hosts to fulfill our purpose. That all we Klyntar have. …That I had.”**

Eddie grew quiet at that, sobered by the understanding. You couldn’t go back and change the past. Maybe there were those out there that could, and he’d heard of it happening before, but this was different. Change it too much and you could screw everything up. Deeper down, selfishly, it could’ve meant he would’ve never met Venom in the first place. God knew he was ashamed in immediate hindsight upon admitting it.

“Ven, hey—listen t’me,” Eddie murmured, Venom rapt with attention on him. “Y’can’t forget that you weren’t like that before. Before earth, all’a this, you had a mission, right? A mission that would’a made everything go all pear-shaped. You’re not the same symbiote that crash landed t’earth. I think you’ve changed for the better, but d’ya really think the symbiote I met before would’ve anticipated this? That you’d suddenly grow a conscience more human in shape? Y’can’t beat yourself over being who you were before, love.”

The air grew quiet in between them, Venom taking a long moment to understand before nuzzling into Eddie’s arms again, a quiet air of understanding flourishing. Though it was unspoken, it was heavy in its tender significance. “…Maybe someday you’ll have a chance t’ start over. Have some tykes raised in the direction ya want ‘em to go, love.”

Venom purred softly in his arms. **“…With us? Have offspring with us?”** it prompted, vibrating hopefully that Eddie smiled at.

“Say we get t’that bridge, then yeah—we’ll cross it, darlin’. Together.”


End file.
